Logic Pro User Guide
- Welcome
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- What is Logic Pro?
- Workflow overview
- Logic Pro project basics
- Advanced tools and additional options
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
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- Projects overview
- Create projects
- Open projects
- Save projects
- Delete projects
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- Play a project
- Set the playhead position
- Control playback with the transport buttons
- Use transport shortcut menus
- Use transport keyboard shortcuts
- Customize the control bar
- Change the LCD display mode
- Monitor and reset MIDI events
- Use the cycle area
- Use the Chase Events function
- Control Logic Pro using Apple Remote
- Control Logic Pro projects using Logic Remote
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
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- Overview
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- Before recording software instruments
- Play software instruments
- Record software instruments
- Record additional software instrument takes
- Overdub software instrument recordings
- Spot erase software instrument recordings
- Use Note Repeat
- Record to multiple software instrument tracks
- Replace software instrument recordings
- Record multiple MIDI devices to multiple tracks
- Record software instruments and audio simultaneously
- Use step input recording techniques
- Use the metronome
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- Overview
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- Regions overview
- Select regions
- Select parts of regions
- Cut, copy, and paste regions
- Move regions
- Add or remove gaps
- Delay region playback
- Loop regions
- Repeat regions
- Resize regions
- Mute and solo regions
- Time stretch regions
- Split regions
- Demix MIDI regions
- Join regions
- Create regions in the Tracks area
- Normalize audio regions in the Tracks area
- Create aliases of MIDI regions
- Clone audio regions
- Convert repeated MIDI regions to loops
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to Sampler zones
- Rename regions
- Delete regions
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- Overview
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- Add notes
- Select notes
- Snap items to the grid
- Move notes
- Copy notes
- Change the pitch of notes
- Resize notes
- Edit note velocity
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Quantize the pitch of notes
- Change note articulations
- Lock the position of events
- Mute notes
- Change note color
- View note labels
- Delete notes
- Time stretch notes
- View multiple MIDI regions
- Split chords
- Automation/MIDI area in the Piano Roll Editor
- Open other editors
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- Flex Time and Pitch overview
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- Flex Pitch algorithm and parameters
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Audio Track Editor or a zoomed in track
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Tracks area when the track is not zoomed in
- Correct the timing of audio regions with Flex Pitch
- Quantize the pitch of audio regions
- Create MIDI from audio recordings
- Change the gain of notes in audio regions
- Use Varispeed to alter the speed and pitch of audio
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- Mixing overview
- Set channel strip input formats
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
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- Plug-ins overview
- Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- Insert a plug-in on a track using drag and drop
- Activate plug-ins on inactive channels
- Use the Channel EQ
- Work in the plug-in window
- Work with plug-in settings
- Work with plug-in latencies
- Work with Audio Units plug-ins
- Support for ARA 2 compatible plug-ins
- Use the Plug-in Manager
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
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- Smart Controls overview
- Show Smart Controls for master effects
- Choose a Smart Control layout
- Automatic MIDI controller assignment
- Map screen controls automatically
- Map screen controls
- Edit mapping parameters
- Use parameter mapping graphs
- Open the plug-in window for a screen control
- Rename a screen control
- Use articulation IDs to change articulations
- Assign hardware controls to screen controls
- Compare Smart Control edits with saved settings in Logic Pro
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
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- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- Change loop settings for cells
- How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact
- Edit cells
- Edit scenes
- Work in the Cell Editor
- Bounce cells
- Record a Live Loops performance
- Change Live Loops grid settings
- Control Live Loops in Logic Pro with other devices
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- Overview
- Add notes
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- Part box overview
- View score symbols
- Select score symbols
- Add notes and rests
- Add notes and symbols to multiple regions
- Add key and time signature changes
- Change the clef sign
- Add dynamic marks, slurs, and crescendi
- Change note heads
- Add symbols to notes
- Add trills, ornaments, and tremolo symbols
- Add sustain pedal markings
- Add chord symbols
- Add chord grids and tablature symbols
- Add bar lines, repeats, and coda signs
- Add page and line break symbols
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- Select notes
- Move and copy notes
- Change note pitch, duration, and velocity
- Change note articulations
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Restrict note input to the current key
- Control how ties are displayed
- Add and edit tuplets
- Override display quantization using tuplets
- Add grace notes and independent notes
- Delete notes
- Use automation in the Score Editor
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- Staff styles overview
- Assign staff styles to tracks
- Staff Style window
- Create and duplicate staff styles
- Edit staff styles
- Edit staff, voice, and assign parameters
- Add and delete staffs or voices in the Logic Pro Staff Style window
- Copy staffs or voices in the Logic Pro Staff Style window
- Copy staff styles between projects
- Delete staff styles
- Assign notes to voices and staffs
- Display polyphonic parts on separate staffs
- Change the staff assignment of score symbols
- Beam notes across staffs
- Use mapped staff styles for drum notation
- Predefined staff styles
- Share a score
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- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- Customize the Environment
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- Fader objects overview
- Use fader objects
- Play back fader movements
- Work with object groups
- Fader styles
- Fader functions: MIDI events
- Fader functions: range, value as
- Fader functions: filter
- Vector fader
- Special faders overview
- Cable switchers
- Meta event faders
- SysEx faders
- Work with SysEx messages
- Special functions
- Ornament objects
- MMC record buttons
- Keyboard objects
- Monitor objects
- Channel splitter object
- Physical input objects
- Physical input objects
- MIDI click objects
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- Key commands overview
- Browse, import, and save key commands
- Assign key commands
- Copy and print key commands
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- Global Commands key commands
- Global Control Surfaces Commands
- Various windows
- Windows Showing Audio files
- Main Window Tracks and Various Editors
- Live Loops Grid
- Various Editors
- Views showing Time Ruler
- Main Window Tracks
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll
- Score Editor
- Event Editor
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Project Audio
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Sampler
- Step Input Keyboard
- Tool key commands in Logic Pro
- Touch Bar shortcuts
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- Working with your control surface
- Connect control surfaces
- Add a control surface to Logic Pro
- Automatic assignment for USB MIDI controllers
- Grouping control surfaces
- Control Surfaces preferences overview
- Modal dialog display
- Tips for using your control surface
- Control surfaces supported by Logic Pro
- Software and firmware
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- Learn about Effects
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- Learn about Amps and Pedals
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- Bass Amp Designer overview
- Bass amplifier models
- Bass cabinet models
- Build a custom combo
- Amplifier signal flow
- Pre-amp signal flow
- Use the D.I. box
- Amplifier controls
- Bass Amp Designer effects overview
- Bass Amp Designer EQ
- Bass Amp Designer compressor
- Bass Amp Designer Graphic EQ
- Bass Amp Designer Parametric EQ
- Bass Amp Designer microphone controls
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- Use MIDI plug-ins
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- Arpeggiator overview
- Arpeggiator control parameters
- Note order parameters overview
- Note order variations
- Note order inversions
- Arpeggiator pattern parameters overview
- Use Live mode
- Use Grid mode
- Arpeggiator options parameters
- Arpeggiator keyboard parameters
- Use keyboard parameters
- Assign controller parameters
- Modifier MIDI plug-in controls
- Note Repeater MIDI plug-in controls
- Randomizer MIDI plug-in controls
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- Use the Scripter MIDI plug-in
- Use the Script Editor
- Scripter API overview
- MIDI processing functions overview
- HandleMIDI function
- ProcessMIDI function
- GetParameter function
- SetParameter function
- ParameterChanged function
- Reset function
- JavaScript objects overview
- Use the JavaScript Event object
- Use the JavaScript TimingInfo object
- Use the Trace object
- Use the MIDI event beatPos property
- Use the JavaScript MIDI object
- Create Scripter controls
- Transposer MIDI plug-in controls
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- Learn about included Instruments
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- Alchemy overview
- Name bar
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- Alchemy source overview
- Source master controls
- Import browser
- Source subpage controls
- Source filter controls
- Source filter use tips
- Source elements overview
- Additive element controls
- Additive element effects
- Spectral element controls
- Spectral element effects
- Pitch correction controls
- Formant filter controls
- Granular element controls
- Sampler element controls
- VA element controls
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Master voice section
- Alchemy extended parameters
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- Logic Pro Quick Sampler overview
- Add content to Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler waveform display
- Use Flex in Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Pitch controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Filter controls
- Quick Sampler filter types
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Amp controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler extended parameters
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- Sculpture overview
- Sculpture interface
- Global parameters
- Amplitude envelope parameters
- Use the Waveshaper
- Filter parameters
- Output parameters
- Use surround range and diversity
- Assign MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
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- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
Work in the plug-in window in Logic Pro
You edit plug-in parameters in the plug-in window, which opens automatically when you insert a plug-in.
Note: You can turn off this behavior by deselecting the “Open plug-in window on insertion” checkbox in the Logic Pro > Preferences > Display > Mixer pane.
The header area at the top of a plug-in window is common to all plug-ins. You can use it to adjust the size of the window, link plug-in windows when more than one is open, switch the plug-in parameter view, and route side chain source signals.
Some plug-ins have additional parameters that don’t appear in the main plug-in window. In this case, a disclosure triangle appears at the bottom-left corner of the plug-in window.
Open a plug-in window (when it’s closed)
In Logic Pro, click the center area of the plug-in slot.
Close a plug-in window
In Logic Pro, click the close button at the top-left corner of the plug-in window.
Adjust plug-in parameters
In Logic Pro, do any of the following:
To adjust a slider: Drag it vertically or horizontally. You can Command-click anywhere in the slider’s value range to set it to the clicked value.
To adjust a rotary knob: Drag it vertically. You can Command-click anywhere in the value circle surrounding the knob to set it to the clicked value.
To adjust a numerical field: Drag its numerical value vertically. You can also double-click in the numerical field, then type a new value using your computer keyboard.
To reset any parameter to a neutral (or centered) value: Option-click the parameter.
To make finer parameter adjustments: Press and hold the Shift key before dragging a control.
Undo a plug-in parameter change
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
Click the Undo button in the plug-in window header.
Choose Edit > Undo (or press Command-Z).
Redo a plug-in parameter change
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
Click the Redo button in the plug-in window header.
Choose Edit > Undo (or press Shift-Command-Z).
Hide or show the plug-in window header
In Logic Pro, click the icon at the top-right corner of the plug-in window.
Adjust the size of a plug-in window
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
Drag any corner of the plug-in window.
Choose a window size from the plug-in window’s View pop-up menu.
Both of these scalings apply to individual plug-ins.
Switch the plug-in parameter view
In Logic Pro, choose Editor or Controls from the plug-in window’s View pop-up menu.
Editor view shows the plug-in’s graphical interface, if it offers one. Controls view displays all plug-in functions as a set of horizontal sliders, with numerical fields to the left of each parameter. These fields are used for both the display and entry of data.
Link or unlink plug-in windows
When linked, a single plug-in window is used to either display all open plug-ins or all plug-ins in the same insert slot row across the Mixer.
In Logic Pro, Control-click the Link button to the right of the plug-in window header.
Choose one of the following options from the Link shortcut menu:
Off: Plug-in windows are not linked. Clicking in the center of any plug-in opens it in a new plug-in window.
Single: A single plug-in window is used to display all open plug-ins. Each time you open a new plug-in, the window updates to reflect the newly chosen plug-in. In Single mode, the Link button turns purple.
Multi: As you select channel strips or plug-ins, a single plug-in window updates to display plug-ins in the same insert slot position (first row, second row, and so on). You can open multiple plug-in windows and set each window to Multi-mode in order to display the plug-ins of more than one row of inserts as you select different channel strips.
For example, you could insert a Channel EQ plug-in into the first insert slot, and a Compressor plug-in into the second insert slot, of multiple channel strips. If you then open a Channel EQ plug-in window, a Compressor plug-in window, and put both plug-in windows in Multi mode, as you select each channel strip when mixing, the Channel EQ and Compressor plug-in for the selected channel strip will be displayed. In Multi mode, the Link button turns yellow.
Note: You can simply click on the Link button to toggle between Off and Single mode.
The Link mode affects the entire project—it is not possible to have the Link mode set differently in different plug-in windows of the same project. The Link mode can either be set to Single for the entire project or for Multi mode for one or more rows of plug-ins. This means that if Multi mode is selected, clicking the Link button on additional plug-ins from any not currently linked rows engages Multi mode for that row of plug-ins, and if Single mode is selected in any open plug-in, Multi mode is turned off.
Choose a source for a side chain signal into a plug-in
For plug-ins with a Side Chain Source pop-up menu, you can use audio from an audio or software instrument track, hardware input, or bus to trigger the plug-in. For example, the dynamics of a drum groove can be used to rhythmically change the compression, and therefore dynamics, of a guitar, synthesizer, or bass part. The side chain signal is used to control the plug-in, but it is not processed by the plug-in.
In Logic Pro, click the Side Chain Source pop-up menu in the plug-in header area, then choose one of the available sources.
The audio signal from the selected side chain source now serves to control the plug-in. You can change external side chain sources, or select an internal side chain source if no external audio signal is available. Some third-party Audio Units plug-ins do not allow the side chain to be controlled internally, and so “None” replaces “Internal” in the Side Chain Source pop-up menu. To learn more about using Audio Units plug-ins, see Work with Audio Units plug-ins.
Hide or show additional parameters (if available for the plug-in)
In Logic Pro, click the disclosure triangle at the bottom-left corner of the plug-in window.
